Aglaonema plant named ‘TWYAG0003’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Aglaonema  plant named ‘TWYAG0003’, characterized by its upright and outwardly arching plant form; vigorous growth habit; freely clumping habit; full, dense and bushy appearance; leaf surfaces green in color with pink-colored midribs and random spots and blotches; and pink-colored leaf petioles.

Botanical designation: Aglaonema commutatum×Aglaonema rotundum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘TWYAG0003’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofAglaonema plant, botanically known as Aglaonema commutatum×Aglaonemarotundum and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘TWYAG0003’.

The new Aglaonema is the result of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Bogor, Indonesia. The objective of the breedingprogram is to create new fast-growing Aglaonema cultivars with freelyclumping habit and unique leaf coloration.

The new Aglaonema originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in October, 1988 of the Aglaonema commutatum cultivar Tricolor,not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unnamed selectionof Aglaonema rotundum, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. Thenew Aglaonema was discovered and selected by the Inventor in October,2001 as a single plant within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination in a controlled environment in Bogor, Indonesia. Thenew Aglaonema was selected on the basis of its plant habit and uniquelycolored foliage.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar by divisions and cuttings sinceearly 2002 in a controlled environment in Bogor, Indonesia, has shownthat the unique features of this new Aglaonema are stable and reproducedtrue to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘TWYAG0003’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘TWYAG0003’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofAglaonema:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly arching plant form.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely clumping habit; full, dense and bushy appearance.    -   4. Unique leaf coloration; leaf surfaces green in color with        pink-colored midribs and random spots and blotches.    -   5. Pink-colored leaf petioles.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Bogor,Indonesia, plants of the new Aglaonema differed from plants of thefemale parent, the cultivar Tricolor, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Aglaonema had broader leaves than plants of        the cultivar Tricolor.    -   2. Plants of the new Aglaonema and the cultivar Tricolor        differed in leaf and leaf petiole coloration.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Bogor,Indonesia, plants of the new Aglaonema differed from plants of the maleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Aglaonema were more upright than plants of        the male parent selection.    -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Aglaonema were more oblong than        leaves of plants of the male parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Aglaonema and the male parent selection        differed in leaf and leaf petiole coloration.    -   4. Plants of the new Aglaonema were resistant to Erwinia whereas        plants of the male parent selection were susceptible to Erwinia.

Plants of the new Aglaonema can be compared to plants of the cultivarRed Gold, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Apopka,Fla., plants of the new Aglaonema differed from plants of the Aglaonemacultivar Red Gold in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Aglaonema more upright than plants of the        cultivar Red Gold.    -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Aglaonema were narrower than        leaves of plants of the cultivar Red Gold.    -   3. Plants of the new Aglaonema and the cultivar Red Gold        differed in leaf coloration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Aglaonema, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Aglaonema.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a top perspective view of atypical plant of ‘TWYAG0003’ grown in a container.

The photographs on the second page are close-up views of upper and lowersurfaces of developing leaves (top of sheet) and fully expanded leaves(bottom of sheet) of ‘TWYAG0003’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The cultivar TWYAG0003 has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following observations and measurements describe plants of the newAglaonema that were grown in 20-cm containers, in Apopka, Fla., in apolypropylene-covered shadehouse with light levels about 2,500foot-candles. During the production of the plants, day temperatures wereabout 27° C. to 29° C. and night temperatures ranged from 14° C. to 25°C. Plants used for the photographs and description were about 16 monthsfrom planting. Color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Aglaonema commutatum×Aglaonema rotundum    cultivar TWYAG0003.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Aglaonema commutatum cultivar            Tricolor, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed selection of Aglaonema            rotundum, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By divisions.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About three weeks.        -   Time to produce a rooted plant.—About four to five weeks.        -   Root description.—Thick, fibrous, fleshy; 19D in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely-branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form.—Erect when young, becoming outwardly arching as            leaves develop; inverted triangle, symmetrical and uniform.        -   Vigor/growth rate.—Vigorous; relatively rapid growth rate.            Plant size appropriate for 15 to 25-cm containers.        -   Growth habit.—Freely clumping habit; plants typically            produce about 18 offshoots per plant; full, dense and bushy            appearance.        -   Plant height.—About 27 cm.        -   Plant width (spread).—About 55 cm.        -   Stem description.—Length: About 12 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm.            Internode length: About 1.2 cm. Aspect: Upright. Strength:            Good; flexible. Color, immature: 157B. Color, mature: 162A            to 162B.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate; single. Length:            About 19 cm. Width: About 9.5 cm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex:            Acute. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire; mostly flat with some            broad undulations. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous; rugose. Veins: Recessed on upper surface            and prominent on lower surface. Venation pattern: Pinnate.            Color: Developing leaves, upper surface: Alternating            chevrons of 191A and darker than 147A; random spots and            blotches, 65C; venation, 65B to 65C. Developing leaves,            lower surface: Ground color, 147A, flushed with 52B; random            spots and blotches from upper surface visible; venation,            52C. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Alternating            chevrons of 189A and more green than N189A; random spots and            blotches, 65B; venation, 54D tinged with 53D. Fully expanded            leaves, lower surface: Ground color, darker green than            N189A, flushed with 53D; random spots and blotches from            upper surface visible; venation, 53C to 53D. Petiole:            Aspect: Initially upright; when mature, about 40° from            vertical; base, clasping. Length: About 12 cm. Diameter,            distal: About 4.5 cm. Diameter, proximal: About 3.1 cm.            Color: 55B to 54B. Wing length: About 8 cm. Wing diameter:            About 8 mm. Wing color: 65D; flushed with 27D; striations,            53D.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Inflorescence arrangement/quantity.—Concave spathes with            spadices held beneath the foliar plane; inflorescences arise            from leaf axils and sheathed by cataphylls; about two to            three inflorescences per plant.        -   Time to flower.—Inflorescences develop during the autumn and            winter in Apopka, Fla.; flowering intermittent.        -   Inflorescence longevity.—About 12 to 15 weeks on the plant;            inflorescences not persistent.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Cataphylls.—Length: About 5.1 cm. Diameter: About 7 to 8 mm.            Shape: Oblong to elliptic; apex, acute to cuspidate; base,            clasping; one to two-keeled. Color: 73D tinged with 73B to            73C along the keel.        -   Spathe.—Length: About 5.5 cm. Width: About 5.4 cm. Shape:            Broadly elliptic. Apex: Cuspidate. Base: Cuneate. Margin:            Entire. Aspect: Concave, curling over the spadix. Color:            When developing, front surface: Mottled, 146C to 146D and            147B to 147C. When developing, rear surface: Mottled, 147B,            146D and 145C. Fully developed, front and rear surfaces:            Base color, 155D; random speckles, 145A to 145B; with            development, 159D tinged with 160C.        -   Spadix.—Length: About 3.3 cm. Diameter: About 9.5 mm. Shape:            Columnar, cylindrical; apex, obtuse. Aspect: Mostly upright.            Color: Female zone, when developing: 12C. Male zone, when            developing: 155B. Female zone, mature: 144C; stigma, 17D.            Male zone, mature: N155D. Quantity of female flowers per            spadix: About ten. Quantity of male flowers per spadix:            About 250. Flower diameter: About 3 mm. Pollen: None            observed.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 8 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Aspect:            Upright to slightly outward with development. Strength:            Good; flexible. Color: 159C tinged with 145B; faint            blotches, tinged with 170D.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm.            Aspect: Upright to about 45° from vertical. Strength: Good;            flexible. Color: 155B to 145B to 145C.        -   Fruit/seed.—Fruit and seed development have not been            observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Aglaonema have been    observed to be resistant to Erwinia. Plants of the new Aglaonema    have not been observed to be resistant to pests and other pathogens    common to Aglaonema.-   Weather tolerance: Plants of the new Aglaonema have been observed to    be tolerant to wind, rain and temperatures ranging from 4° C. to 40°    C.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Aglaonema plant named ‘TWYAG0003’, asillustrated and described.